February 1
1800s 1900s-1930s *1913 - Olympic hero Jim Thorpe signs with the New York Giants of the National League. *1914 - An exhibition game involving major league teams takes place in Cairo, Egypt. The game is part of a special 56-game world tour. The Chicago White Sox and New York Giants play to a 10-inning, 3-3 tie. *1919 - The Brooklyn Dodgers trade first baseman Jake Daubert to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Tommy Griffith. Daubert, a former National League MVP with Brooklyn, is shipped out shortly after receiving an out-of-court settlement from the Dodgers for the balance of his salary ($2,150) because the 1918 season ended a month early. *1926 - The New York Yankees sell first baseman Wally Pipp to the Cincinnati Reds. In 1925, an injury had forced Pipp out of the Yankees lineup, resulting in his replacement by future Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig. *1928 - Former standout Hughie Jennings dies at the age of 58. The future Hall of Famer batted .311 over a 17-year career, including a career-high .401 in 1896. Jennings also managed the Detroit Tigers to consecutive American League pennants from 1907 through 1909. 1940s-1970s *1947 - Commissioner Happy Chandler announces the creation of a pension plan for American and National leagues players. Players who have accumulated five seasons in the major leagues will receive $50 a month starting at the age of 50. For each year of additional service, a player will receive an extra $10 per month, up to a maximum of $100. *1959 - Zack Wheat, a Brooklyn Dodgers favorite of the teens and twenties, is unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Wheat, a .317 hitter over his 19-year career, batted .300 or better 14 times. *1962 - The National League releases its first 162-game schedule. *1965 - The National League clubs adopt an emergency team replacement plan to restock any club struck by disaster. *1970 - The Veterans Committee selects former Commissioner Ford Frick and former players Earle Combs and Jesse Haines to the Hall of Fame. Haines won 210 games for the St. Louis Cardinals and pitched in four World Series. Although he played 100 games in a season just nine times, Combs accumulated 1,866 hits and batted .325. Frick was commissioner from 1951 to 1965, but he is best remembered for suggesting that an asterisk be placed next to the name of anyone who broke Babe Ruth's home run record during the eight additional games on the schedule in 1961. *1973 - Monte Irvin is elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues. Irvin becomes the fourth player to gain election through the committee, joining Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard. Irvin won two batting crowns for the Newark Eagles before joining the New York Giants. 1980s-1990 *1985 - In an effort to add some much-needed power to their lineup, the St. Louis Cardinals trades OF/1B David Green, SS Jose Uribe, P Dave LaPoint, and OF/1B Gary Rajsich to the San Francisco Giants for slugging OF/1B Jack Clark. *1995 - Talks resume between the major league owners and the striking Players’ Association. The owners agree to drop their demand for a salary cap, replacing it with a proposal for a luxury tax. *1999 - The New York Yankees trade highly touted third baseman prospect Mike Lowell to the Florida Marlins for three minor league pitchers. Lowell, named minor league player-of-the-year last season, is expandable after Scott Brosius' outstanding 1998 performance. 2000s *2001 - Post season hero Jim Leyritz signs a $500,000, one-year minor league contract with the New York Mets. The former New York Yankees utility has hit one home run per every 7.6 postseason at-bats, making it the third best performance for players with five or more postseason homers. *2002 - Six-time All-Star Kenny Lofton agrees to a $1.25 million, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox. The 34-year center fielder, who has played with the Indians, Braves and Astros, has a .302 life-time batting average in an 11-season career. *2003 - Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino announces four senators, Edward M. Kennedy, John F. Kerry. John McCain, and Tom Daschle, will file legislation nominating Jackie Robinson for the Congressional Gold Medal. Other recipients of the medal have included statesman George Washington, boxer Joe Louis, and poet Robert Frost. *2005 - A web site claims Yogi Berra has filed a $10 million lawsuit against TBS due to a Sex and the City promotion which used Berra’s name as a possible answer concerning the definition of yogasm. The choices included (a) a type of yo-yo trick, (b) sex with Yogi Berra and © what Samantha has with a guy from yoga class. Births *1875 - Billy Sullivan, catcher (d. 1965) *1903 - Carl Reynolds, outfielder (d. 1978) *1944 - Paul Blair, All-Star outfielder *1944 - Hal King, catcher *1955 - Ernie Camacho, pitcher *1960 - Cecilio Guante, pitcher *1966 - Eduardo Zambrano, outfielder *1967 - Tim Naehring, infielder *1968 - Kent Mercker, pitcher *1970 - Edwin Hurtado, pitcher Deaths *1914 - Sam Weaver, pitcher (b. 1855) *1928 - Hughie Jennings, Hall of Fame player and manager (b. 1869) *1929 - Walt Wilmot, outfielder (b. 1863) *1945 - Tubby Spencer, catcher (b. 1884)